Aristotle concept of virtue Essay

The concept of virtue by Aristotle can be attributed to the state of character which he believed lies between two broad extremes which are the excess and deficiency. He believed that virtues falls into two major categories which are the moral virtue and the intellectual virtue. He considered moral values to be associated with feelings, choosing and acting well while intellectual is being acquired. He believed that not all the state of character is virtues and that virtue can be considered the doctrine of mean. This doctrine helps us to determine the actual state of character that is virtuous.

He considered character such as lustfulness as not virtue because lustfulness represent an increase feeling of sexual desires or seek for too much sexual pleasure and it lies towards the extreme of excess and not being in the mean which Aristotle considered to be a point that represent virtue. Comparing and contrasting the Aristotle definition of virtue and Socrates definition of impiety and piety. There is no much similarity between the definitions except in that they try to explain the concept of justification in whatever we do.

Both definitions relates to what can be considered to be morally good. There are several differences between the two forms of definition. 1. Socrates believe that there are certain fundamental characteristic that makes pious things pious which is different from the Aristotle concepts of virtue which strongly believe in character that lies between the two extremes. 2. Aristotle consider the relationship of friendship to virtues while Socrates believes piety is what god loves and impiety what god hates The better definition might be determined by its application to moral values.

Since the Aristotle’s definition explains certain aspects of ethics, I will consider it, the better of the two definitions. Aristotle’s definition relates directly to human life and character and it application can guide the way we act and helps us live better life. Aristotle also consider friendship as being indispensible to virtuous life believing without friendship towards our fellows it is impossible to live a complete and virtuous life. He believes we must be good friends to ourselves before we can show which a concept of “self love” is.

We can only understand friendship when will understand the virtue of oneself. The issue with the relationship of friendship with ourselves and others can be narrowed down to the fact Aristotle believed that virtue brings happiness. Aristotle in summary established a relationship between character, reasons and emotion. He explains the relationship virtues and vices, relationship of virtue to pleasure and to happiness and the notion of moral education. Socrates believes that piety is intimately bound to gods and it is what the gods loves.